This document discusses marking technologies for industrial markets. It provides an overview of Matthews, a supplier of marking products with over 150 years of experience. The document then discusses the primary reasons for marking products as identification, traceability, compliance, and operational needs. It outlines common marking methods as printing, indenting, etching, and labeling/tagging. For each method, it provides examples and benefits. It concludes by advising readers to consider their specific application needs and production processes to determine the best marking method and source of additional information.

1. Marking
Technologies
For
Industrial
Markets

2. About Matthews…
• Over 150 years in business
• Supplier of etching,
indenting, contact printing,
ink-jet printing and laser
marking products
• Ink developer with ISO 9001
certification
• Industrial applications are
our primary focus

3. Four reasons to mark
• Primary identification
• Traceability
• Compliance
• Operational

4. Primary identification
• Company name and
trademarks
• Part numbers
• Size

5. Traceability
• Serial numbers
• Time and date
stamps
• Batch codes
• Bar codes

6. Compliance
• Government control:
tax, country of origin
• Associations: glass,
steel, environmental
• Vendor specification:
automotive companies
• Bar codes for inventory

7. Operational marking
• Orientation or location
marks
• Inspection
• Color codes
• Instructional
• Bar codes to facilitate
automation

8. Methods of marking
• Printing
– Adds color and contrast using ink
• Indenting
– Most permanent by material displacement
• Etching
– Removes the surface
• Labeling/Tagging
– Attaches the mark to the product

9. Printing methods
Used when color or contrast is required
• Contact Printing (Uses dye and pigmented inks)
– Offset (glass, rubber hose, plastic profiles)
– Direct (metal sheet, flooring, plastic film)
– Reciprocating (packaging, autoparts, tires)
• Ink-Jet Printing
– DOD, Drop-on-Demand (packaging, steel, lumber, plastic pipe)
– Impulse (packaging, light industry)
– CIJ, Continuous Ink-Jet (packaging, plastic pipe, steel, glass)

10. Contact printing
• Offset printing
– Offset ink in an ink fountain is
picked up by a rotating ink roll.
Before the ink is transferred to a
type wheel, it is metered to a
desired film thickness by a doctor
blade. After the type wheel is
inked, an impression of the legend
is transferred to the blanket roll
which marks the product.
• Direct printing
– The characters or type wheel
comes in direct contact with the
surface of the product being
marked.

11. Contact printing benefits
• Pigmented inks fit a wide
variety of marking
applications
• Superior print quality
• Economical, reliable
operation
• In-line and stand alone
applications

12. Ink-Jet printing
• Drop-on-demand
– A column of ink droplets are fired together to
form a printed character while the substrate
moves.
• Impulse
– A series of 32 openings/nozzles in the
printhead are channeled into 96-352 holes.
Using sound waves, the ink is moved from
openings to the product. No pressurized ink
system or mechanical valves are used to
move the ink to the product.
• Continuous Ink-Jet
– A single stream (continuous) of ink is
modulated or broken into droplets of ink.
Each droplet is electronically charged and
directed by a magnetic field to form into
characters as it is sprayed onto a moving
substrate.

13. Ink-Jet printing benefits
• Fast message
changeover
• High speed marking
• Reliable, simple
operation
• Uneven surface
marking ok
• High-quality printing
of text and logos

14. Indenting Methods
Used when permanence is a must!
Especially for the tools and transportation industries.
• Hand marking
– Inspection marking, portable method
• In-line systems-example: packaging type
– Part of the fabrication and forging process
• Impact press
– Stand alone or in-line, with same legend
• Rollmarking
– Stand alone method providing deep marks
• Stylus
– Versatile, variable text and character size
– Low stress method, can be automated
– Marks harder materials (50 RC)

15. Indenting Benefits
• Permanent product
identification on a wide
range of materials
• Simple, reliable marking
method
• Accommodates a variety of
product shapes and sizes
• Easy operation & minimal
maintenance

16. Etching methods
Used on glass & polished metal products.
• Acid Etching
– Polished metal, inspection only-applied
with a vinyl inspection stamp.
• Airgrit® Dry Etching
– Automotive, flat glass, lenses-also works
on polished metals as an alternative to
electro-chemical etching.
• Laser Marking
– Packaging, automotive, metals,
plastics, offers variable text for
serializing.

17. Airgrit® Etching solutions
• Bench-Top models
• Under-Line table top
models
• Large, portable
models

18. Airgrit® Etching benefits
• High-quality frosted
impressions in a
fraction of a second
• Less than a penny per
mark
• Safe, permanent
identification without
acids or chemicals
• Easy operation and
minimal maintenance

19. Labeling & tagging
Used when it is not practical to mark the
product itself.
• Label printer applicators
– Packaging, multiple line legends
with UPC bar codes
• Embossed tags
– Tire date codes, jet engine
re-builders, steel distribution
• Nameplates
– Motors, fabricated
metal,machine builders

20. The best “method” for you
Consider these questions…
• What is the product you need to mark?
• What is the product’s size and shape?
• What is the material and hardness?
• What color?

21. The best “method” for you
Consider these questions…
• Surface condition?
• Temperature during marking?
• Environment the product will exist in?
• Usage of the marked product?

22. The best “method” for you
Consider these questions…
• How large or small do the marks need to be?
• How many lines of print do you require?
• What color should the mark be?
• How will the mark be read?
(bar code scanner, humans…)

23. The best “method” for you
Consider these questions…
• Production rate at which the product
must be marked?
• Is the product stopped or moving?
• How much space is available within your
production line?
• What is the printer orientation?
(over, under, side…)

24. Conclusions
There are 4 basic There are 4 basic
reasons for marking: methods of marking:
• Primary identification • Printing
• Traceability • Indenting
• Compliance • Etching/Laser
• Operational • Labeling/Tagging

25. Conclusions
Determine the best method for your application:
• Know your current process.
• What is your reason for marking?
• Consider productivity improvements. (automated
processes, improved mark legibility)
• Any room for lowering operating expenses, is this desired?
• Determine the usage of your product. (longevity of marks,
special ink requirements, outdoor storage, etc.)
• Seek advice from experts in the field of identification.

26. For additional information
Where to get additional information on this subject:
www.matthewsmarking.com
Visit our web site to view actual marking product
specifications and application information. Or,
download a copy of this presentation for future
reading and research on our Applications page!

27. An expert reference
At Matthews, we can be a single, global resource for all of your marking
and identification needs. With over 150 years of experience, no other
supplier can offer customers such extensive experience for marking and
coding solutions.
Airgrit® Etching Ink-Jet Printing Indenting Laser Marking Contact Printing
Call us today for a free evaluation of your
marking process at 412/665-2500!